Today I’m talking portraits with John Middick.
John is the creator and host of the Sharpened Artist Podcast, the weekly podcast for colored pencil artists.
The podcast was created in 2015 and John says his primary focus was offering encouragement to fellow artists. He accomplishes that goal by not only sharing tips and techniques for drawing, but by interviewing other colored pencil artists. Giving them a chance to be heard and encouraged.
John is the featured artist for the February 2020 issue of CP Magic, where he talked extensively about his artistic journey and other subjects. He also provided a tutorial for that issue.
But for this post, we’re talking about his favorite subject: People. Specifically, faces.
Talking Portraits with John Middick
Why Portraits of People?
Carrie: Thank you for agreeing to talk with me, John.
You draw a lot of subjects, but what I think of when I think of you as an artist is portraits. You obviously enjoy doing human portraits. What makes them so attractive?
JOHN: I’ve always been very, very interested in people, the human condition, and understanding people. Faces are fascinating.
But I think a lot of it is because I was so terrible at drawing people as a child, and I wanted to be good at it. I would try it and couldn’t figure out how artists were able to do that.
Back in the 80s, I’d go to the mall once in a while and see artists set up in the middle of the mall. They were creating art right there on the fly, doing commissions of people sitting there or painting from a photograph or something. It was the most fascinating thing I’d ever seen in my life.
I remember someone painting a portrait. Someone’s just sitting there in front of them, and they’re painting and I was just dumbfounded. I could not believe that that was possible.
Now I feel like portraits are just one of the most compelling pieces of artwork. Obviously, it’s my opinion, but there’s just something about being able to depict a person.
And it’s not just copying who this person is.
It’s also showing the personality and showing something that you just can’t get with a camera. I’m fascinated with that.
My mom had to tell me, “Come on, we are going,” because I just wanted to stay there. I was just blown away at that.
John Middick
About Commissions
CARRIE: You do commission work?
JOHN: Yes, I do. In fact, somebody just contacted me about doing a cat. I do animals once in a while. I will do just about any commission somebody asks me to do, and I have a good photo reference. Or preferably I can take the reference photos myself.
But mostly I do portraits with commissions, but I’ll do the occasional cat or dog or something like that. Or a farm or something like that.
I love doing commissions, too. A lot of people don’t like it and talk about how awful it is, and there can be a downside. But there’s something exciting about giving that piece of art to the individual after it’s all completed. They love it and some fall apart.
Carrie: I’ve had that happen to me more than once. It’s such a good feeling.
John: You can’t replace it.
Carrie: No you can’t. Sometimes it’s worth more than money.
John: I’m not getting rich on doing commissions. You’re not going to really make a whole lot doing portraits , some artists I guess would. But there’s a reward to being an artist that has nothing to do with money. I don’t know about anyone else, but I need to be stroked once in a while; to feel good about what I do.
Future Plans
Carrie: What plans do you have for future works?
John: I have a series I’m about to start working on that I’m so excited about. And I’m hoping I can execute on this. I should be able to between teaching and things I’m doing, but I want to show people with technology.
I’ve always thought it was interesting that every time we adopt some new little innovation in technology, all of us as a species start using these things in some interesting ways.
Like one time I was at one of my daughter’s basketball games. Everyone was standing up with these huge iPads. All these parents right in a row taking pictures and videos with their iPads.
Carrie: And now it’s cell phones.
John: Yeah, yeah, they use cell phones. Used to be the flip phone, they would bring out their flip phone at a wedding trying to take pictures.
So I’m the weirdo in the audience. I usually have my camera and I’m taking pictures of people taking pictures of people using cell phones. I’m trying to make a series now out of that because I’ve been collecting reference images for a long time.
Carrie: Is this series going to be serious?
John: That’s a good point. It could be whimsical. I don’t know. I think it will be more of a focus on the person.
I’ve got this huge folder of files, and I’m hoping I can pick out some things that are interesting enough. My challenge is figuring out how to make this about the person and not about the object that they’re interacting with.
Carrie: Long-term series or just a few pieces?
John: I’m thinking it’ll probably be a long-term series. I’ve never really done anything like that.
I’m always impressed when somebody has a very nice cohesive body of work. Some of the other colored pencil artists have been working in the medium for a while. I like that; I always had that goal, but I’m always doing other things like teaching classes and writing courses. I feel like I don’t take enough time for my own artwork.
And so I’m going to try to do that. That’s where I am right now. But it’s hard to do, isn’t it?
Carrie: It’s very hard to do.
That’s Talking Portraits with John Middick
My thanks again to John for meeting with me. He has a lot more to share in February’s CP Magic, which you can get here.
Don’t forget about the Sharpened Artist Podcast, and if you really want to dive deep into portrait drawing, John’s Face Value course is just what you’re looking for. There is a waiting list for the course, but you can add your name to the waiting list here. John tells me the course opens one time per year and will be opening soon in 2020. For more info or to reserve your spot go here!
